Traveling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying, ‘I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station.’

—Lisa St. Aubin de TerĂ¡n


1 med school acceptance + ambivalent thoughts = 2 years of deferrals

Packed up NYC apartment + 1 airplane ticket = Unknown adventure

Support of friends and family = Priceless

Saturday, February 6, 2010

When in Rome...

Continuing with my travels, I decided to take a extended weekend in Rome. Well actually the deal was too good to pass up $481 for a roundtrip ticket and 3 nights hotel including breakfast, all taxes included. So with the usual 30 minute frenzy of packing right before heading to the airport, Doug and I found ourselves on a non-stop flight from JFK to Fiumicino. We left JFK at 9:55 pm Thursday evening and arrived in Fiumicino at 11:00 am on Friday morning.

Our first adventure was getting in the city center of Rome. There are two trains from the airport that take you into the city center, FR1 and the Leonardo Express. The Leonardo Express is the tourist train and is 11 euro, the FR1 only 5.50 euro. Especially after Asia, I am on super budget watch so of course opted for the 5.50 euro. Doug and I boarded the last car of the train, settled in and as the train was leaving the station, and skipped the first local stop, we realized we had accidentally boarded the Leonardo Express after all. It clearly stated on our ticket, that our fare was not valid on the Leonardo Express. We just figured, we would explain to the conductor when he arrived to us and pay the extra fare. Since our car was the last car, the conductor did not arrive until the train was almost arriving into Termini station. 2 rows in front of us the conductor was checking tickets and just as he was about to arrive to us, he receives a phone call on his cell phone and had to leave to check on something else. So Doug and I arrived at Termini and got off the train without having to pay the extra fare or look like 2 dumb tourists. Pretty lucky...

It is raining here in Rome (ahhh my luck with bad weather when I travel) but Doug and I tried to make the best of it our first day. We wandered for a bit, saw the Colleseum and even Jenna, an old high school friend of my brother who is currently studying abroad in Rome. Since it was raining, I have not gone on my culinary hunting adventures yet but that is to begin today.

Today our adventure to the Vatican begins... more to follow :)

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